Once Upon a December
by Crystal Jaganshi
Summary: Shikamaru is finnaly able to get the one thing he wants for Christmas. ShikaTema


**This fic is for the Shikamari fan club contest on deviant art so constructuive criticism would be much appreciated.**

Once Upon a December

Shikamaru's eyes widened as his second strongest wolf summon was tossed aside like a rag doll. Inside, he frantically searched for a possibility to escape. There was no way he could win, the opponent had figured him out move for move. For once in his life, Shikamaru finally found someone who had the same, if not higher, intelligence than he did. Unfortunately, that person was about to kill him.

"So what now? I thought the ANBU of Konoha was a forced to be reckoned with, especially Konoha's Shadow Assassin." The hollow, high pitched laughter shook his heart. She began to walk toward him and he scrambled backwards trying desperately, anything that could save him. He felt something stop him from backing up and realized he had hit a tree.

Quickly adding the tree into his calculations, he deducted that the tree in fact would be of no use. He didn't have enough chakra left to summon the Alpha Wolf, Enji, nor to summon his wife, Anniki, to heal him. No one would be looking for him, he was on a solo mission like usual. The 23 year old ANBU looked up at his friendly sky, the clouds dancing as they moved back and forth in the wind, as if controlled by a fan. A fan… there was something he would never see again. He would never get married nor have the chance to ask. And while he might have not had a simple quiet wife, he would have gotten two strong children, he was sure of it. But, of course, it was only an _if_, a _maybe_ because he needed a miracle to survive.

His enemy stood in front of him now, her words going through one of Shikamaru's ears and out the other. All he could think of was his home, his family, friends, and the beautiful blonde kunochi who would most likely yell at him at his grave instead of cry. Yes he though as a large gust of wind rushed in from behind him, the blade nearing his neck every second, she would most defiantly-

All Shikamaru needed was a split second to reassess his situation and duck just as most of the tree behind him was sliced and his opponent thrown across the ground, landing roughly. He slowly lifted his head and before him he saw the back of a familiar scythe wielding animal summon. The kamaitachi in front of him hissed and barred her teeth. His opponent growled and began to engage Kira, if Shikamaru's memory served him right, and the weasel began to dodge. Then, from behind the Kira, a tornado like gust flew straight at the weasel, who dodged it, and hit Shikamaru's opponent square.

Shikamaru couldn't help but let out a gasp of shock and relief at he saw feet land on the ground in front of him and he closed his weary eyes to the soothing sound of the fan making a mark in the ground. Then, he heard nothing.

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Water running down to the lips.

No, wait. Wiped up.

Cool, gentle touch.

A soothing song.

Warm aroma.

Gentle tickle of hair on skin.

A warm hand.

Salty water, dribbling to the lips.

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Shikamaru's eyes fluttered open at the sunlight that seemed to be pouring onto his face. Wait sunlight? Oh that's right. She came and saved him. Again. Well, it's better than dying that's for sure. His eyes stared at the bland, earthen roof above him following the cracks on the walls half smiling. He glanced over to the night stand just for verification and he smiled.

Next to the duck taped alarm clock was a picture in a plain black frame. He gingerly reached out to touch it but pain shot through his arm and he winced. He began to pull his arm back towards him but stopped. In one thrust, he reached out quickly, pulled the frame towards him and clasped it against his chest as he heaved with pain. At least he could still move his arm…

His heaving began to subside and as he drifted off into sleep again, he heard the door open. Wanting desperately to stay awake to see if it was her, he fought to keep his eyes open but the resistance was futile. He herd shuffling around and a sudden stop.

"Temari!" The man's voice was instantly recognized as the middle child. "Temari! He was awake!"

Shikamaru heard her light footsteps draw near and he forced his heavy eye lids to open. She looked so much like a woman, he thought, as she sighed of relief. Instead of her usual kimono outfit, she wore a golden ao-dai. The gold pants were decorated with white lilies and the white long sleeved shirt was a bit visible from underneath the long golden top of the ao-dai, whit lilies crossing her bosom. Her hair was wrapped up in a white sari with gold embroidery, adding the typical touch to the ao-dai in the winter for women of Suna. She walked over to him steadily and set the bowl in her arms down gently on the nightstand. She uttered no words as she took a cloth, pressed it gently into the bowl and slowly wrung the water out of it as she pulled it out.

He closed his eyes as she placed it on his forehead. As the warmth of compress filled his head he heard her whisper hoarsely

"Lazy-bum. Look at how troublesome you are. Now you're here for Christmas."

Shikamaru couldn't help at pulling his mouth muscles into a wide grin. He didn't say anything back and he didn't need too. He felt her hand grasp his and he slowly wrapped his fingers around her hand. This was all he needed to know she cared. And perhaps this Christmas, as he was conveniently in Suna, he would finally get the chance to get the one woman he wanted the most.


End file.
